Roadtrip Toronto to Orlando

[DurhamProPhoto]

Hey guys,
Looking for any tips or tricks for the trip to Disney
with the family and the Mz5.
Scenic routes, places to eat, places to stay.
I will probably drive for 10 - 12 hours the first
day and then look for somewhere to relax for
the night. So that should put me somewhere
around Virginia or North Carolina.
Are there any "Gotta See Its" on the way?

Cheers,
Robin

[murda79]

Which way are you going down? The quickest way is I-75, pretty much takes you right there. I drove down in 2002 & 2003 and it was 2 full days for me. Both times on the way down we stopped in Tennessee, once in Carryville and the other around Lenoir Ciy. The views are great in this area because of the mountains. I'd love to drive through here when the leaves change colour.

[Kid Red]

Be CAREFULL going thru NC, SC and Georgia. Southern boys don't like tourists speeding thru their towns. Do the speed limit in those states. I like 1-95 switching over to 1-75 in FLorida (or before) to get off on 1-4 and Disney.

Avoid 'South of the Border', crazy cheap weird stuff. NC and SC both have scenic attractions, civil war stuff, Kitty Hawk, etc.

Just have lots of CDs, an iPod and/or Sirius. And NO radar detector. Also, if you get hungry in Orlando, get food BEFORE you get near Disney. In a like 10 minute radius around Disney there is a strange economic swing that increases prices drastically.

Have fun, drive safe :)

[DurhamProPhoto]

Hey Kid,
Why no Radar Detector? I was counting on it for speed.
Cheers
Robin

[BOOSTR]

I could be wrong, but I think VA is the only state that has made the use of radar detectors illegal of the states that you will have to travel through. Becareful once you get on I-4, its a bit of a speed trap.

[JimboNC]

If you are driving south on I-81 through Virginia, you could stop for the night in several places that have things to see and do. At the Vistors Center as you come into the state stop and pick up brochures showing attractions for families. Depending on your arrival time, try to stop before nightfall for the best accommodations, motels fill up early. Look for Best Western and Holiday Inns. Best Western serves a good Continental breakfast. From I-81 you have to go west to I-77 and south through North Carolina. There are a lot of good restaurants off I-77 at the Statesville exit. Cracker Barrel can always be depended on for good food, watch for signs advertising them. Avoid Econolodge motels, bad reputation.

If I-95 is your route south, an hour or so southeast of Richmond is Williamsburg, the restored old Colonial city and Bush Gardens with lots of things to see and rides for kids. NC also frowns on radar detectors and high speed limits. Maintain a good distance between your car and the car in front. It is also a NC law that ANY accident no matter how small, even just a small dent, you HAVE TO WAIT for the police to come to settle it. Be aware of speed traps in South Carolina if you leave I-95 and drive through small towns. In South Carolina, Myrtle Beach is a good place to stop, not far off of I-95.

[Medicman]

Hey guys,
Looking for any tips or tricks for the trip to Disney
with the family and the Mz5.
Scenic routes, places to eat, places to stay.
I will probably drive for 10 - 12 hours the first
day and then look for somewhere to relax for
the night. So that should put me somewhere
around Virginia or North Carolina.
Are there any "Gotta See Its" on the way?

Cheers,
Robin
Go to Chapters book store and buy the I75 booklet,, gives a lot of tips and hints on restaurants and radar etc. Worth the dollars I've heard.

[rodslinger]

Be CAREFULL going thru NC, SC and Georgia. .... Do the speed limit in those states.

To hell with that. You come down I-75 in the metro Atlanta area doing the speed limit and your ass is gonna get knocked off the road. You better set the cruise on 80mph and stay to the right.

[DurhamProPhoto]

I don't know what the cops are like in your
neck of the woods. But up here in Ontario
they generally ticket the first in a pack of
cars for speeding. Do the US cops do the same
or do they pull everyone over. If they do the
same, maybe the thing to do is to be a pack animal
and stay in the middle and go with the flow.
Detectors are illegal up here also but that doesn't
mean we don't use them.
Mine has saved me on numerous occasions, but
I think I will probably leave it at home, just so
I don't have to sneak it across the border.

Thanks Jimbo for the Econolodge tip we will
go for the Best Westerns and the Cracker Barrels.
Hopefully they will be on the route we end up taking.

The route plotted out by Yahoo Maps does not
mention the I-75 but instead reads (Starting at Buffalo)

14: I-190 S/NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY toward DOWNTOWN BUFFALO/I-90/NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY. 6.68 miles
15: Merge onto I-90 W via EXIT 54-61 toward ERIE 94.43 miles
16: Merge onto I-79 S via EXIT 22A toward PITTSBURGH. 143.98 miles
17: Merge onto I-79 S via EXIT 21 toward MORGANTOWN 136.47 miles
18: Merge onto US-19 S via EXIT 57 toward SUMMERSVILLE 67.54 miles
19: US-19 S becomes US-19 ALT S 1.85 miles
20: Merge onto I-77 S (Crossing into VIRGINIA). 82.58 miles
21: Merge onto I-77 S via EXIT 81 toward CHARLOTTE 229.02 miles
22: Merge onto I-26 E toward CHARLESTON. 52.88 miles
23: Merge onto I-95 S via EXIT 169A toward SAVANNAH 320.19 miles
24: Merge onto I-4 W via EXIT 260B toward ORLANDO. 67.98 miles
25: Merge onto US-192 EXIT 64B toward DISNEY WORLD. 2.21 miles

Is there a better route to take? without all the different changes?
It seems that if I start in Detroit the I-75 is the way to go but it is
1 hour to Buffalo or 4 hours to Detroit from Toronto. I really want
to get there the fastest route possible.

[Medicman]

[Is there a better route to take? without all the different changes?
It seems that if I start in Detroit the I-75 is the way to go but it is
1 hour to Buffalo or 4 hours to Detroit from Toronto. I really want
to get there the fastest route possible.[/QUOTE]

Again.. I suggest going to the Chapters store for the booklet. Other than that, I know my Microsoft streets and trips updates with all the construction info...If you are in Durham. you'd probably want to go over at Buffalo.
There is some construction on the 401 down this way... and I am not sure what else around Detroit.

[doctorz]

I've never driven from Toronto to Florida. But I think you're better off going down I-79 and I-77, if for no other reason you'll drive through fewer cities, where the speed limit drops and you'll have to fight traffic. I noticed that I-79 skirts Pittsburgh, but after that you don't really hit another major metro area until Charlotte. If you take I-75, you'll go through Toledo, Cincinnati, Lexington, Knoxville, and Atlanta. I don't know how bad Cincinnati's traffic is, but Atlanta's traffic is nasty.

Regarding the cops, it probably depends on the state. I almost never see the entire pack get pulled over. Do more than 10 over on an empty road, though, and you'll get pulled over somewhere. Keep it within 10 over on an empty road, follow the pack while in traffic, and you'll be fine.

[DurhamProPhoto]

Thanks for tips guys! As much as I love driving
the 5 even with a DVD player in the back seat. It
will still be a long haul. And the extra time to get
to Detroit will just add even more time. I am waiting
for a couple of more weeks before I get my Triptik
from CAA so that it is up to date with road closures
and contruction. So for now I just have mapquest
to rely on for directions.

What is the speed limit in the US? Is it 55mph so
keep it below 65?

Cheers,
Robin

[Wuster]

Something is fishy here... US-19 from Morgantown, WV is a little two lane road before it merges back onto I-79 near Clarksburg. Going that way will slow you down. You're better off staying on I-79 South till you hit I-77 just outside of Charleston, WV.

I haven't made the trip from Erie to Pittsburgh in years, but if memory serves me correctly, not too many cops on I-79 North of I-80 and not much till you get near Pittsburgh.

Careful when you cruise through Morgantown, it's a college town and the cops are always looking for college students to ticket.

I've found the Hampton Inns along the entire I-79 corridor to be pretty decent places to stay.

[Kid Red]

In Virginia radar detectors are illegal. So if a cop pulls you over and see it, he'll get you (unless something has changed).

A few general rules,

1)follow a caravan, be in the middle. So the first or last cars get tagged, not you.

2) if no caravan, do you speeding in the slow lane only going into the fast lane to pass. With slow cars behind you effectively blocking your rear from radar.

3) If speeding, don't do more than 15 mph over the posted speed. I usually try to go about 12mph over.

Also, NEVER rely on mapquest!! My wife and I have been burned nearly EVERYTIME we've used it. It always seems to get the second to the last turn wrong. Either making you go the long way, the wrong way or the hard way.

[jandree22]

What is the speed limit in the US? Is it 55mph so
keep it below 65?

Cheers,
Robin
Generally, speed limit is 65, so max out at 75. Some states have stretches of 70mph zones, too. I think NC is one of them. My rule of thumb is don't pass more than 75% of the cars on the road, always let that 10-25% go faster than you for cop bait. Just me.

Also, this may be too far east for you to worry about, but I'd avoid the I-95 corridor between Baltimore, MD to DC and especially DC to Richmond, VA. Those stretches can get pretty hairy at times.

I personally think South of the Border is a must see. lol, yep, it's 100% cheesy and cheap, but how can you resist Pedro?!

Have fun :)

[doctorz]

What is the speed limit in the US? Is it 55mph so
keep it below 65?

See http://www.iihs.org/laws/state_laws/speed_limit_laws.html for speed limits by state. Urban speed limits are generally 55, rural interstates in the northeast 65 mph, rural interstates in the South 70 mph. Keep it within 10 over the limit.

[Wuster]

I totally agree with jandree22. Avoid I-95 if at all possible.

I believe the speed limit is 70 mph in WV.

And radar detectors are illegal in VA. If you get caught with one, they'll conviscate it and you'll get a ticket.

[doctorz]

I totally agree with jandree22. Avoid I-95 if at all possible.

I don't think I-95 is that bad between Baltimore and DC. You just need to avoid it during rush hour and the rest of the time be prepared to drive in tightly packed traffic moving 75-80 mph.

I'm not familiar with I-95 south of the I-85 split south of Richmond, but from Virginia north, my nomination for the worst stretch is the Connecticut Turnpike between the NY state line and Bridgeport. It's usually stop-and-go even during midday.

Having said that, the yahoo maps route between Toronto and Orlando misses these areas entirely.

[jandree22]

I-95 south of Richmond is generally wide open and a good cruise.

[Kid Red]

I used to drive I-95 from Baltimore to Miami and NC to Miami. There's nothing wrong with I-95.

[JimboNC]

19: US-19 S becomes US-19 ALT S 1.85 miles
20: Merge onto I-77 S (Crossing into VIRGINIA). 82.58 miles
21: Merge onto I-77 S via EXIT 81 toward CHARLOTTE 229.02 miles
22: Merge onto I-26 E toward CHARLESTON. 52.88 miles
23: Merge onto I-95 S via EXIT 169A toward SAVANNAH 320.19 miles
24: Merge onto I-4 W via EXIT 260B toward ORLANDO. 67.98 miles
25: Merge onto US-192 EXIT 64B toward DISNEY WORLD. 2.21 miles

Is there a better route to take? without all the different changes?
It seems that if I start in Detroit the I-75 is the way to go but it is
1 hour to Buffalo or 4 hours to Detroit from Toronto. I really want
to get there the fastest route possible.

I don't know the routes from TO through the northern states. Have you tried http://www.mapquest.com for routing? If you come by I-79 and I-77 the largest metro city is Charlotte, but you will pass several good smaller cities in North Carolina which have good accommodations, Statesville is one with motels and dining places just off I-77.

I-26 and I-95 take you to Charleston, South Carolina, a great place to visit and fine dining places. Ask locals where the BEST seafood restaurants are. Fried seafood platter: fish, clams, shrimp, deviled crab, rice, hush puppies. Yummm. Also, Savannah, Georgia is a great place to visit.

BTW, "hush puppies" are not shoes, they are fried corn bread balls Southerners use to make to feed to the dog when it begged at the table.

North Carolina cops usually stop the *last car* in a bunch speeding.

—JimboNC

[JimboNC]

TIP: On a map draw a straight line from TO to Charleston, West Virginia and see which highways are closest to the line. ;)

[Wuster]

I used to drive I-95 from Baltimore to Miami and NC to Miami. There's nothing wrong with I-95.

Oh my friend, I-95 between DC and Baltimore has gotten very crowded over the years. They keep adding more homes out there in PG and Howard County and the only way to get in & out is via I-95.

There is always some sort of back up or accident on the road.

Given the chance, I always try to avoid I-95. But that is my personal preference.

BTW - You can tune into WTOP (103.5 FM) for traffic reports every 10 mins when you're in the DC area. It covers from just south of Baltimore to almost Quantco in VA.

[doctorz]

Oh my friend, I-95 between DC and Baltimore has gotten very crowded over the years. They keep adding more homes out there in PG and Howard County and the only way to get in & out is via I-95.

There is always some sort of back up or accident on the road.

Given the chance, I always try to avoid I-95. But that is my personal preference.

There are a few parallel routes to I-95, including the BW Parkway or Route 29 (at least north of 32). But midday I-95, in my experience, is okay. I actually don't think I-95 between DC and Baltimore is as bad as I-95 in Virginia south of the Capital Beltway.

Having said that, one reason we chose not to live in Howard County is because I didn't want to have to deal with I-95 as a commuter.

[Stargazer]

We drove our 5 from New York to Orlando last April and took the autotrain for the other leg of the trip. The drive really isn't bad. We took I-95 all the way, and stayed in Fayetteville, North Carolina. If you opt to travel via I-95, there is a great website that has information on lodging, food, gas, etc along I-95. It also has an I-95 forum. [www.usastar.com/i95/homepage.htm]

Have a great road trip!